The invention relates to a control instrument for electric hot plates with an adjustable power control device, which contains an expansion element with an electrical heating means, and with a time switch which, for a period of time, increases the output of the power control device in the initial cooking phase. The time switch contains an electronic counter as the timing member and at least one divider which, by means of an electronic switch element, reduces the power supplied to the heating means in a predetermined division ratio.
In such a control instrument known from U.S. Ser. No. 922,027 filed by Robert Kicherer and Wilfried Schilling on July 5, 1978 the complete time switch means is replaced by electronic components. All the mechanical parts for the timing member and the power switch are dispensed with, because the electronic switch element has only to switch the very limited power of the bimetallic member heating means for the power control device. However, the reliable quantizing power control device is retained for switching the high power to the hot plate. The hot plate only requires a single load heating resistance which is quantized by the power control device.
A pushbutton, which is operable independently of the adjusting toggle is provided for switching on the automatic initial cooking device formed by the time switch. It would also be possible to use an adjusting toggle which, in addition to its adjustment function, by rotation also assumes the pushbutton function by starting up the automatic initial cooking device on being depressed. Besides certain mechanical difficulties and the fact that the button requires a certain travel, the switching on of the automatic initial cooking device requires an additional operation, so that it is frequently not used.